St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-03-26
THEY STRETCHED HEMP
Harding, the Glendale Stage Robber Goes
to His Fate at Dillon, Mont, With
Nerve.
An Execution at Beatrice, Neb. Which
Was Preceded by Some Remarkable
Circumstances.
A Precocious Youth at Eau CLAIRE
l uder Arrest for Alleged Train
Wrecking.
The Wisconsin Legislature Hogs All
the Railway Passes There Were
in Sight.
Speclnl 10 the Globe


in Sight.
Special TO the Glote
DILLON, Mont, March 25-Early this
morning, Thomas IL. Harding, the con-
demned man, arose. After breakfast he
was eloSeted With his spiritual adviser
AtterWard Counsel Duffy had an interview
with him in regard to making a statement.
Said Harding: Il am innocent of the
charge of which | stand convicted" The
counsel told him that he would soon be with
his creator and asked if he had any state
ment 10 make in regard 10 the parties now
IN l1I aS accessories. Il don't know any
thing for or against them. They can hang
me tor murder; that does not make muir
derer Cut OF me" Tie thanked his counsel
for all done tor him. TO a reporter Hard
ing said: Il rely on YOU to set me right
before the public" The only feeling the
condemned man showed was when asked if
he had any message to send his aged
mother. He burst into tears. saying: My
past life has been good and CLEAR. 1t Will
break her heart" From that time forward
Father DObS was constantly in attendance.
Al PIC the march to the galloWs COM
menced. headed by Sheriff Jones. The
death warrant was read inside OF the prison.
Harding walked with
y FIRM STEP
under the fatalnoose, supported by his Spir
tHal adviser. in the presence Of a selected
jury of twelve, the counsel and reporters.
Asked if he had anything 10 say,
he replied nothing" The sher-
III proceeded 10 bnd him. While he
was being lied he SAID: BE careful. you
will throw me" and asked that his slippers
be taken OF, which was done He passed
some whispered remarks to the priest.
After completing the strapping, Sheriff
Jones proceeded to readjuSt the knot under
the condemned mans left ear. He com
men;ed on the tightneSs of the rope and
Harding replied: 1T Will be considerable
tighter in Il few minutes" Sheriff Jones
then told the prisoner that the time had
come and hoped that he would forgive ev-
erybody Harding said: Il forgive every
body" He then kissed the cross which
vas protIered him By the priest. AT 2:31
o'clock the rope was cut. The body shot
up into the air as the weight descended.
There was no struggle and soon ali was
over. His neck was broken by the jerk
and death was painless. At 2:37 o'clock
DrS. Pickman and LeaeOn pronounced life
extinct. \ few minutes after the body was
cut down and prepared for burial. During
the entire time Harding was cool and col
lected, showing no emotion save flush on
lis pallid cheek as the moose was put over
his head. lie died bravely. to the last pro-
testing his innocence of the crime.
THE CRIME.
Word was flashed over the wires Nav %,
1856, that the stage cor Glendale had left
Mclrcse, n small station on the line OF the
tun \ Nor nd
short distance road agents had appeared and
ordered the driver, George Ferguson, TO halt.
He did not stop and the robbers shot him dead.
He fell forward on the double trees. \ pas
senger tried TO hold him, but could not do so.
The rObber then tried 10 grasp the mail sack,
but the passenger prevented him and the
horses ran away. The rOUber who did the
shooting was dressed IN light clothes and
wore light hat. On receipt of the news
search was immediately made for the assas-
sir by the authorities. While Sheriff Jones,
OF Eeaverhead county was Ell route TO the
scene of the tragedy he saw two men crossing
the railroad track, one of whom wore the
same style Of clothes rs the one VINO did the
shooting. They were some little distance Off
when the sheriff ordered them 70 halt. They
rode off very rapidly TO the accompaniment
OF rifle bullets from the officer. Being on foot
there was no use in his attempting to follow
them and he proceeded up 10 Melrose. The
hOrsemen rode i'll the direction of Dillon, and
when in the lane about three miles from that
place they were met by Under Sheriff Murray
and Henry Bray. The
ORDER TO HALT
was met by 4 pistol shot, the bullet whistling
intentionally close to Murray 5 head, while
the second shot struck few feet d head of
them. The officers answered with three shots
in quick succession, which only seemed to in
crease the speed with which the fugitives
were now flying down the lane. the back
track. Murray was OF his horse Ut the time
and was watching the road, he having been
forced to ride 4 poo animal for the want of
Il better one, on which ne could not shoot.
and By the time he was mounted again the
men were out of sight. The officers followed
them 10 the forks Of the road, but were I'M
successful in the pursuit. Sheriff Sullivan
it'll a posse of officers on Thursday, May -,
arrested Thomas Harding, an American, and
TWO SwedeS by the name of Erickson and
Jansen as the probable robbers. The arrest
was made near the Bell Smelter ut Butte.
The sheriff and posse had left Butte for the
scene OF the tragedy, having followed up a
trsil which led them up Birch creek. IL was
found out that the men
ANSWERED THE DESCRIPTION
which had been furnished to the officers.
Sheriff sullivan felt confident that he had
captured the right men. Mr.. Merchant, who
had sat beside the driver at the time OF the
tragedy had left for San Francisco. Sheriff
Jones and several other passengers arrived in
Butte the next day and all said that Harding
answered the assassin'S description. and Mr..
Eustis identified the stolen horses which
Harding had ridden. 1t was determined to
hold the roDber and take him back to Dillon.
In the meantime Jansen and Erickson were
released, they proving an aibi. Sheriff
Jones' with heavy escort, landed his pris-
oner safel. in the Dillon Jail. At the fall
term Of the court for the Second judicial dis
Irict of Montana Harding was tried, being
ably defended by Campbell q Dufe,, and
,Tt
gree, T. S. Merchant coming from California
TO testify in the case and positively Identify
ing the prisoner. All attempts to secure u
new trial failed. In an interview just before